, Research Paper

The Iliad and Song of Roland:

Attitudes Toward War

The Iliad by Homer and Song of Roland are two gratifying novels that both trade with the basic nature of war. They are set in different epochs of history, but they both manage to picture the image of war and conquest really good. With that said, they do so portion obvious secret plan features. However, the mode of which the topic of war is portrayed in both novels is well different. The Iliad leans toward a more in writing and honest word picture whereas Song of Roland illustrates a more glorious and honest position of conflict.

In The Iliad, Homer tells the narrative of the war between the Achaeans and the Trojans. They are contending an intense and ghastly conflict with each other. The two warriors that stand out the most in the novel are Achilles, who is contending on the side of the Achaeans, and Hector, who is the great Trojan warrior. They fight back and Forth in many conflicts, inquiring the Gods to assist them with different undertakings.

In Song of Roland, the narrative is told of Charlemagne and his ground forces, who are contending the Muslims in Spain. Their conquering proves to be a success. This success has much to make with the mighty and adept warrior Roland, who is the hero of the novel. He ends up deceasing a sufferer s decease and is held with the highest respect amongst his people.

As you can see, these two narratives both have heroes in them, and they both deal with war and conflict. Song of Roland seems to laud the attitude of war by utilizing more of a bold and narcissistic tone when depicting it s conquerings. Charlemagne s ground forces is off to free the universe of heathens and convert as m

any of them as possible into Christians. They feel themselves to be superior to the heathens due to their Muslim belief. They will halt at nil when it comes to forcing their belief of Christianity on them ; the heathens merely other option being decease. This holier-than-thou attitude prevails throughout the novel. On the other manus, the Iliad has more of a dark feel to its conflicts, with both sides being faulty and doing errors. Both the Trojans and Achaeans use the aid of the Gods in their combat with the hope of suppressing one another.

By reading Song of Roland, one might acquire a more positive position towards war than with the Iliad. In Roland, there is more of a clear intent whereas in the Iliad, one might inquire what the intent of all the bloodshed is besides junior-grade competition. If one were to read the Iliad, he would happen himself riveted by the narrative while at the same clip detecting the dark nature of the war and bloodshed that the fresh portrays.

With that said, it can be determined that Song of Roland has more of a heroic feel to it than the Iliad does. Roland s epic decease is being avenged with rightful cause. It seems the merely logical thing for Charlemagne and his work forces to make other than cower and allow an unfairness prevail. The Iliad can be seen as more of an honest novel in the manner that it depicts war. There are many inquiries resurrected in it as to what the combat is carry throughing and if it is worth all the bloodshed and grief. War is so a really dark and evil thing that should be avoided at all costs. Sometimes, nevertheless, there is right cause for war. It is up to each human head to make up one’s mind what that right cause is and if it will wholly be worthwhile in the terminal.